Sydney trainers John Thompson and Matthew Smith plan to consider their options over the next few days before deciding if either or both will have a runner in Friday’s $100,000 Port Macquarie Cup.
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Thompson has nominated Signposted, an imported Irish galloper and the winner of four of his last five starts.
Smith has nominated the French bred Zayam, a winner over 2000 metres at Randwick last preparation.
Nominations for the Cup and the rest of the program close at 11am on Monday morning.
The Randwick-based Thompson and the Warwick Farm-based Smith also have a race at Randwick the day after the Cup as possible targets.
Signposted is well suited to a major country cup like the Port Macquarie Cup.
- Trainer Matthew Smith
“My one concern about going to Port Macquarie is whether the horse can get the 2000 metres,” Thompson said.
“Nominating for the Cup is a sort of plan B but it is still something I will consider over the next few days.”
Signposted has won twice at 1900 metres but both those wins were in mid-week company at Canterbury although he did run a good fourth over 2000 metres at Randwick in May.
At his last start he ran second to Fabrizio over 1600 metres at Randwick a little more than two weeks ago.
Smith is enthusiastic about the Port Cup but says he now has to convince the horse’s owners to share his view.
“I think the race suits him perfectly,” Smith said.
“He did a nice piece of work on Saturday morning and is progressing well.
“He is the sort of horse that would be well suited to a major country cup like the Port Macquarie Cup and the prizemoney is very good.
“I am sure a day or two in Port Macquarie would be great fun for everyone concerned.”
Zayam was brought to Australia as the winner of one race, was given a year off to acclimatize and at his second start won over 1600 metres at Warwick Farm.
Later he won successive races over 1800 metres at Rosehill and 2000 metres at Randwick and Smith sent him south for last year’s Ballarat Cup over 2200 metres.
“One of the owners lives in Ballarat and the plan was to tackle the cup if the horse was going well enough,” Smith said.
“However the horse got knocked from pillar to post on the turn out of the straight and was never in the race after that.”
Zayam beat only two horses home, was given a spell and his best effort in four starts since has been a second over 1600 metres at Randwick in July.
Kris Lees has increased his interest in the cup by nominating three horses.
Originally he named Olympic Academy and possibly Slow Pace as his cup runners but he has also nominated Sense Of Occasion, the winner of the Listed Premier Cup at Rosehill in August.
Slow Pace ran last in a field of only four in the Craven Plate at Randwick on Saturday but Sense Of Occasion ran a mighty race when fifth in the Metropolitan when beaten by only two and a quarter lengths.
